IEP Chandigarh, December 14

On the lines of Punjab Government departments, online system will be implemented for the approval of leave of officials and employees in Punjab State Power Corporation and Power State Transmission Corporation. Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO issued directions in this regard during a meeting with senior officials of both the corporations here today. Taking an important decision to ensure the attendance of employees in the offices of the Power Corporation, the Power Minister ordered that an online system should be implemented for applying and approving leave of employees in both the corporations.

          The Power Minister said that it has become a common practice that most of the employees keep their leave applications in the offices in advance without entering the date, which is not recorded in the attendance register. He said that to stop this practice it has been decided to bring an online attendance system. Along with this, the power minister issued directions that no officer or employee should go on leave without prior approval.

          Taking another important decision with the aim to stop Public harassment in the Power Corporation offices, Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, issued instructions that the people should be treated with ease and courtesy on priority. He also said that Public work should be done without any delay. At the same time, he said that action should be taken against the employees and officials who are arbitrarily and deliberately tarnishing the image of the government.

          The Punjab Power Minister issued orders that the senior officers should go to the field to check the offices on a regular basis and personally ensure physical verification of the works. In order to prevent loss of human life due to loose electric wires hanging over the roads and open boxes, directions were issued by the Minister to lift the height of electric wires on the national and state highways and close the electric boxes properly.

          Prominent amongst present in the meeting included Tejveer Singh Principal Secretary Power, Baldev Singh Sran Chairman Power Corporation, Directors, Chiefs and other senior officials of PSPCL and PSTL.

IEP Chandigarh, December 14

Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar has set a target for the concerned departments to reduce the mortality rate in the accidents by 50 percent.Presiding over an important meeting of Punjab State Road Safety Council here, the Cabinet Minister informed that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had already opined the department to reduce the mortality rate as each life matters. He said that 14 deaths are daily happening in road accidents in the state, on which the Chief Minister had expressed great concern and said that stern action on a priority basis should be taken to reduce the death rate.”Three out of 10 lives can be saved directly through fast and up-graded emergency medical care services”, said the Cabinet Minister directing the officials of health department to further improve emergency and trauma care services across the state. He said that five level-II trauma care centers have already been set up at Khanna, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Ferozepur and Fazilka through which road accident victims’ lives could be saved after fulfilling the vacant posts.Apart from this, it was also decided that all the emergency response services in the state such as NHAI (1033), Transport Department (112), Health Department (108) etc. will be brought on one platform through an app to make it public friendly.Likewise, the Transport Minister instructed the officials of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Public Works Department, Punjab Mandi Board and Local Government Departments to rectify the black spots on priority basis. It was also decided that a special 15 day training course will be conducted for civil engineers of all concerned departments to evolve new ways to overcome the situation.It was decided that all the road owning agencies such as NHAI, PWD, Punjab Mandi Board and Local Government Department will install road signages on entry and exit points on highways, especially at road accident prone areas during next two months and the action taken in this regard will be reviewed by the Transport Minister.Cabinet Minister directed ADGP (Traffic) Mr. Amarjit Singh Rai to ensure the implementation of traffic rules besides sensitizing vehicle owners/drivers carrying straw about Ill-effects such as occurrence of accidents etc. Instructing Transport department officials to write to all the SDMs to keep check on violators, the Cabinet Minister said that installation of under-run iron bar behind heavy vehicles and vehicles carrying steel bar should be ensured. He also directed to launch a special campaign to install reflector tape on tractor-trolleys, three and two wheelers in this foggy season. All the SDMs and traffic police officers will participate in this special campaign.The Transport Minister directed Secretary Transport Mr. Vikas Garg to write to all Deputy Commissioners of the state to honour good Samaritans, who help victims of road accidents, on the occasion of Republic Day on January 26.The Minister asked the Local Government Department to give utmost attention towards construction of footpaths and cycle-tracks along the roads in the cities complying to the directions of the Supreme Court of India.DigiLocker documents should be recognised: Transport MinisterTransport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar instructed the ADGP (Traffic) that the presentation of the DigiLocker documents of the driver, this should be recognised. He said that keeping in view the delay in issuance of chip based smart card licenses and registration certificates due to shortage of chip at a global level, traffic police should recognize online documents kept in government DigiLocker.During the meeting Secretary Transport Mr. Vikas Garg, Director General Lead Agency Mr. R. Venkat Ratnam, State Transport Commissioner Mr. Moneesh Kumar, ADGP (Traffic) Mr. A.S. Rai and NHAI, PWD, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab Mandi Board, School Education officials were also present.  

IEP Chandigarh, December 14

Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday handed over appointment letters to 28 Section Officers in the Finance Department during a brief but impressive function held here at Vit Te Yojna Bhawan.

On this occasion, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government has been taking sound financial management and employee-friendly welfare initiatives to bring transparency and efficiency in the system. He said that newly appointed Section Officers would be deployed in various departments for effective financial management and proper monitoring of expenditure being incurred on various schemes.

Finance Minister further added that recruitment for other vacant posts of Section Officers has been under process. He said that notification of S.A.S examination and advertisement regarding direct recruitment has been issued and other vacant posts of Section Officers would also be filled as soon as possible through the transparent selection process.

Stressing on the Punjab Government’s mission of providing maximum employment opportunities to the youth of the state, Finance Minister said that the vacant posts which are directly related to the services being delivered to the common people and bringing transparency in the work were being filled on priority. On this occasion, the finance minister also instructed all the newly appointed section officers to perform their services with honesty and dedication while putting in their every effort for the welfare of the people and the development of the state.

Special Secretary (Expenditure) Mohammad Tayab and Additional Director (Treasury and Accounts) Simarjit Kaur were also present on this occasion.

IEP SAS Nagar December 14, 2022

Acting swiftly the SAS Nagar Police nabbed both the accused involved in attempt to rape case, the crime which was attempted on intervening night of 13,14-12-2022.

 Disclosing this Mr. Sandeep Garg, SSP SAS Nagar said that an incident was reported regarding attempt to rape by a victim while traveling in auto that she boarded from phase-6 traffic lights on intervening night of 13,14-12-2022. In auto, apart from driver, another man was sitting on rear seat who started molesting, assaulting her and also attempted to rape her. She struggled back and jumped from auto near Rayat Bahara Hospital on kharar-kurali road. After receipt of information regarding this incident, case FIR no. 251 dated 14.12.2022 U/s 376,354A,3548,342,324,323,511,506,34 IPC was registered at PS Sadar Kharar, S.A.S Nagar. Under the Supervision of Sh. Sandeep Garg, IPS, SSP SAS nagar, Sh. Amandeep Singh Brar, SP (D), S. Navreet Singh Virk SP (R), Rupinderdeep kaur sohi DSP Kharar-1, Gursher Singh DSP(D), insp Shiv kumar incharge CIA and S.I Bhagatveer Singh SHO Sadar kharar, separate teams were constituted to nab the accused at the earliest. In a significant breakthrough, with in a span of 12 hours, the crime was traced and both the accused persons were arrested and the vehicle (Auto) used for crime has also been recovered. Details of accused persons are as follows:-

1) Malkeet singh @ Bunty S/o Seva Singh R/o village radiala now at near stadium kurali age-24 years

2) Manmohan Singh @ mani s/o Baljit Singh r/o village singhpura near nanaksar gurudwara kurali age-29 years

Further investigation is being carried out to reveal more details.

IEP Chandigarh, December 13

 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has shot a letter to the state Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh Banwari Lal Purohit to express resentment over the removal of Punjab cadre IPS officer from post of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Chandigarh. In the letter written, the Chief Minister has apprised the Governor that post of Senior Superintendent of Police, Union Territory, Chandigarh has traditionally been occupied by a Punjab Cadre IPS Officer. Likewise, he said that an IAS officer of Haryana Cadre had been appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of the UT. However, Bhagwant Mann said that he was surprised to learn that 2009 batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre Kuldeep Singh Chahal has been repatriated to Punjab prematurely. The Chief Minister further said that much to the dismay of the state, the charge of SSP, Chandigarh has been given to a Haryana Cadre IPS Officer. He said that this move was unwanted and undesirable as this is going to disturb the balance among the states in running the affairs of UT, Chandigarh. Bhagwant Mann further said that if due to some reason SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal was to be repatriated, then a panel of suitable IPS officers should have been sought from Punjab well in advance. Seeking the kind intervention of the Governor in the matter, the Chief Minister said that the state government will shortly be sending a panel of three IPS Officers of Punjab cadre for the post of SSP, Chandigarh. He expressed hope that soon an IPS Officer of Punjab Cadre will be appointed as SSP, Chandigarh.

IEP Nabha (Patiala), December 13    

       Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that the officers and the staff will be held personally accountable for any sort of security lapse in the jails across the state.          The Chief Minister, who inspected the New District Jail here today, categorically said that intact security system is being provided on scientific lines in jails across the state. He said that the state government has already installed high powered Jammers, door metal detectors and other equipments besides providing vehicles for the department to update the security system in the jails. However, Bhagwant Mann said that it is surprising to note that reports of mobiles and drugs making inroads in the jails are still coming in.          The Chief Minister unequivocally said that such sort of laxity on part of the jail staff is unwarranted and undesirable.  He warned the officers that strict action will be taken against the officers who are responsible for this lapse. Bhagwant Mann said that the officers at the helms of affairs in jails across the state will be made accountable for such callousness and exemplary action will be taken against them.          Underlining the need to strictly check the supply of drugs and mobiles in the jails, the Chief Minister also directed the officers to take every step to curb this illegal practice. He said that security of the Jails was the prime concern of the state government and no compromise can be made in this regard. Expressing deep concern over the rising incidents of indiscipline amongst the jail inmates, Bhagwant Mann further asked the officers to discourage this trend by taking the appropriate remedial measures.    

IEP Chandigarh, December 13

Trials for the selection of Punjab State teams for Basketball and Kho-Kho events of the Khelo India Youth Games will be held on December 16, 2022.

Disclosing this, an official spokesperson of the department said, Khelo India youth games are scheduled from January 31 to February 11, 2023 in Madhya Pradesh.

          The spokesperson further said that the trials for the selection of the Basketball boys and girls team will be held at Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana on December 16, 2022 at 10:00 AM.

          Similarly, the trials for the Kho-Kho girl’s team will be held at the Polo Ground, Patiala on December 16, 2022 at 10:00 AM.

          Aspiring players born on or after 1st January 2004, can participate in selection trials by reaching the designated time and place.

IEP Chandigarh, December 13    

      Taking another important decision to root out the private bus mafia from the state, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government has ended the monopoly of private buses owned by Badal family and other private bus mafia on the inter-state routes.          Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, while confirming the development, informed that the ‘Punjab Transport Scheme-2018’, which was formulated by the Congress Government to give benefits to Badal family and other private bus mafia, has been amended. Under this scheme, the entry of private Volvo buses into Chandigarh was made intact, which led to the sheer loot of the state exchequer at a large scale.          “The Badal family during its government’s two tenures from 2007 to 2017, created various schemes to fulfill their personal interests, in which the Congress government also helped the Badals in running their transport  businesses smoothly, including one of inter-state movement of their AC buses to Chandigarh”, said Laljit Singh Bhullar.          The Transport Minister said, “Punjab Transport Scheme-2018” has been amended to “Punjab Transport (Amendment) Scheme-2022”. With the amendment of Serial No: B in Clause No-3 of the scheme, now only state transport undertaking buses can enter in Chandigarh with their 100% share. The insertion titled with “Inter-State Route” in the Gazette notification reads, “With the seating capacity of 39 or more, with the further condition that air-conditioned stage carriages shall be run only by the State Transport Undertakings only out of their overall share in each category.”          Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, while training guns at Badal family for plundering the state exchequer for their personal gain and providing benefits illegitimately to their associates by forming Schemes arbitrarily,  asserted that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led government will not allow to fulfill the vested interests of Badals and their powerful associates at the sake of state exchequer. 

IEP Chandigarh, December 13

The Punjab government has decided to establish educational parks in government schools of the state in consonance with the it’s commitment to recuperate the school education system from roots.

          Dwelling the details here on Tuesday, School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that under this initiative of the government, educational parks are being built in school campuses to bolster the creativity of students studying in government schools, in which discussion forums and Idea Sharing Points will be set up to hone the skills of the students.

          Mr. Bains informed that a grant of Rs. 11.79 crore has already been issued to government primary, middle, high and senior secondary schools to start the project with missionary zeal. He divulged in detail that a grant of Rs 7.39 crore has been issued to 7392 government primary & middle schools and a grant of Rs 4.49 crore to 3783 high and senior secondary schools to realise the project on ground in letter and spirit.

          Talking about the project in comprehensive manner, the Cabinet Minister said that geographical, scientific and mathematical perspective of the students will increase through these educational parks. The models developed in these educational parks will be purely based on the curriculum and students will be able to easily learn the principles of various educational methods through their first hand activities. An idea box also be kept at one place in these educational parks in which students will collect and note down their ideas after discussing on the idea forum.

IEP Chandigarh, December 13

          Punjab Revenue Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa has said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, there has been a massive transformation in the functioning of the revenue department to ensure timely services to the common people. During the previous governments, the general public was very dissatisfied with the working methods of the revenue department, but since Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann took over the reins of the state, people’s work is being done without recommendation and without bribes.

          Jimpa said that there was a shortage of patwaris in the revenue department for a long time due to which work got affected and people faced nuisance. But recently, the Punjab Cabinet has given approval to fill 710 new posts of Patwaris. Even before this, the recruitment of 1090 Patwaris has been completed. He said that with this, maintenance of old records will be done in a more smooth and transparent manners. Apart from this, various services related to the revenue department will be provided to the common people on time.

          Jimpa said that many more initiatives have been taken by the Punjab government to revamp the revenue department, which has benefited the common people. He said that the facility of e-stamp paper has been started to simplify the purchase of stamp papers. Under this, stamp papers of all prices are being issued. Likewise, a website www.eservices.punjab.gov.in has been launched to make the process of Khangi Taksim effective.

          The revenue minister said that 7520 village Cadastral maps and 46861 Mussavi Sheets of Punjab have been digitized. He said that efforts are on to make the services of the revenue department more people-friendly and simple so that more people can avail government services without any hassle.